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9 PAINLESS WAYS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

June 11, 2020 By Anne Hill Leave a Comment

How strong is your immune system? Do you feel confident enough to go to the supermarket, a restaurant, or a public gathering right now? Even if you’re not too concerned about current viral infections on the rise, it’s always a good idea to strengthen your immune system and boost your health.

With a strong immune system, you’ll likely have far greater defenses against any virus, bad bacteria, or even toxins that you come into contact with. It doesn’t mean you’ll never get sick—but even if you do, it won’t be as severe and you’ll recover much faster.

What are the signs of a weak immune system?

Do you have a compromised immune system? Answer these questions:

Do you have any autoimmune disorders (such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Hashimotos, etc.)?
Do cuts, scrapes, and bruises tend to get infected or take a while to heal?
Do you come down with the flu, colds, or other illnesses fairly often?
Have you experienced any inflammation issues (achy joints, cold hands, headaches, and more)?
Do you have digestive problems fairly often, such as cramping, loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea?
Do you regularly feel more fatigued than you used to?
Are you under a lot of stress?

If you answered “yes” to more than one of those questions, you’re likely having immune system issues. And while I like to keep things breezy on my blog posts, a weakened immune system is no joke—particularly now.

What does your gut health have to do with your immune system? Everything.

The gut is home to 70% of the cells that make up your immune system. If your gut is healthy, your immune system will be robust. The gut turns our food into energy and helps get rid of toxins.

There’s plenty of information already available on gut health. Here are a few great sources of info:

Now that you know the importance of your gut, here are specific ways you can keep it healthy, and help improve your immunity in the process.

1. Eat the right foods. Which ones are the best to strengthen your immune system?

Whole plant foods are the key to immune system health. Start by increasing the number of fruits and vegetables you eat. Also, focus on nutrient-dense superfoods, with their vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. Here are a few examples:

CITRUS FRUITS. They are high in Vitamin C, as well as plant compounds that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

BROCCOLI. It’s packed with vitamins, fiber, and many other antioxidants. Try to eat it raw, if possible, to get the most benefit.

RED BELL PEPPERS. In addition to a high amount of Vitamin A, brightly-colored bell peppers contain three times as much Vitamin C as a navel orange.

GARLIC. Containing natural compounds that work to destroy bacteria and infection, garlic has been strengthening immunity for centuries.

SPINACH. Filled with Vitamin C, spinach is also packed with antioxidants and beta carotene. Like broccoli, it’s best eaten raw.

ALMONDS. Not just a healthy fat, almonds are full of Vitamin E, which is key to a healthy immune system. A half-cup of almonds contains 100% of the daily recommended serving of Vitamin E.

There are many more examples of the best foods to eat. Google “Foods to Boost the Immune System,” and you’ll get a ton of great information.

2. Fats make food yummy! They’re also good for you, as long as you stick with the healthy ones.

Healthy fats, like those found in olive oil, avocado, and nuts, have been shown to strengthen your immune system—as long as you eat them as part of a generally low-fat diet.

A study by the National Institutes of Health found the following: “A low-fat diet can reduce the development of disease by maintaining normal immune responses. The data also suggest that unsaturated fat may influence T helper cell activity and therefore antibody production, whereas saturated fats may affect cellular immune responses which are dependent on membrane contact.”

So keep those good fats handy, and toss out the bad ones! Get rid of processed foods in your home. Remove anything that contains trans fats. Stick to foods that contain healthy fats, such as cheese; nuts; avocados; salmon and other fatty fish; dark chocolate; and whole eggs.

Find out all you need to know about good and bad types of fat in our article on Healthy Fats.

3. Yogurt? Kimchi? Kombucha? Yes, please!

Remember the gut thing I mentioned earlier? Well, eating fermented foods can have a dramatic effect on your immune system because of what they do to your gut health. Fermentation promotes the growth of probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that improve gut health.

If you’re a fermented food lover like me, this is easy and yummy. But if you’re not sure about the sauerkraut, try to start with some yogurt. Stick with plain yogurt and add some berries and nuts to make it a delicious, healthy treat.

4. When it comes to this ingredient, RUN AWAY! You’ll boost your immune system quickly.

Now that you know what to eat, here’s what NOT to eat: SUGAR. You’d be shocked at the amount of added sugar in the foods you eat every day, mainly processed foods.

Sugar has a direct effect on immune function. Added sugars are a major culprit in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, which can all suppress your immune system. By cutting out sugar and complex carbohydrates (which turn to sugar in your system), you’ll start to lower your inflammation and boost your immunity immediately.

Is it easy? Nope, since sugar is addictive and coming off of it is no fun. Once your body gets used to creating its own sugar again and your blood sugar stabilizes, you’ll love how much extra energy and mental clarity you have.

Sugar goes by so many names that ingredient lists can be daunting! Beware of anything that ends in “-ose,” such as fructose, glucose, maltose, and dextrose. Also, to give you an idea of how sneaky food manufacturers can be, check out these 56 different names for sugar:

YIKES! So yes, work on getting added sugar out of your diet and give a massive boost to your immune system.

5. Drink! Drink! Drink! Why hydration is so vital.

I’ve written about the importance of water before, but I can’t say it too much. Hydration is the most loving thing you can do for your health. But what does hydration do for your immune system? Glad you asked!

Staying hydrated helps your body flush out toxins and other bacteria that may cause illness. Water helps to oxygenate your blood, which in turn allows cells to function at their full capacity. Plus, the more water you drink, the better your kidneys will be able to flush out toxins. Oh, and don’t forget the brain: when you are well hydrated, your brain produces melatonin, which can help you sleep.

Then there’s the lymphatic system: Drinking enough water helps your lymph nodes to do more work in getting rid of bacteria. And the more water you drink, the more moisture you’ll have in your eyes and mouth, preventing those nasty germ particles from gaining access to your body.

Have I convinced you yet? I know that drinking water may not be a thrill, but you can always add a bit of lemon or lime for an immune system double-whammy! It may be tough to start drinking a lot of water at first, but if you keep it next to you at all times, you’ll get the hang of it. When I first started drinking water, I was a Coke Zero-aholic. Within a week, I forgot all about that craving, and I’ve been well hydrated ever since. If I can break that habit, believe me, so can you.

6. Supplements to strengthen your immune system: Yay or Nay? It depends.

To supplement or not to supplement? If you’re eating the right foods, including fermented foods, you don’t necessarily need more supplements. However, many of us—myself included—are low on specific vitamins and need to supplement what we eat.

There are some pretty cool tests that can be done to see what your body is deficient in and based on that, you can tailor your supplements more specifically to what you need most.

In their excellent article on vitamins and the immune system, the Cleveland Clinic put it like this:

“Your body absorbs and uses vitamins and nutrients better when they come from a dietary source. When it’s a vitamin or supplement, it’s often questionable how much you’re actually getting. Because supplements are regulated as foods, not as drugs, the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t evaluate the quality of supplements or assess their effects on the body.”

7. Let’s get physical: How much exercise is enough for your immune system?

There’s no question that regular exercise can help strengthen your immune system. A 2019 review published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science discusses how exercise improves immune function, and how much to do for long-term positive effects.

The study found that regular aerobic exercise for up to 60 minutes, either moderate or high intensity, was most effective. The study focused on walking, but there are many options, such as taking a spin class, using an elliptical trainer, or running.

Source: Journal of Sport and Health Science, May 2019

Here’s how it works: As your muscles contract through exercise, it increases blood and lymph flow throughout your body. It also increases the circulation of immune cells, so they move through the body at a higher rate and number. At the same time, this exercise reduces inflammation in your body, which also improves immune function.

The key here is REGULAR Exercise. Taking a 45-minute walk once and hoping it helps your immune system isn’t going to do you much good. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week. If you take a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, you’re all set.

HealthKick offers some good tips that make it easy for you to get in regular exercise. Check them out here:

Interval Walking

Exercise

8. Regular ZZZZs are fantastic immune system helpers.

There are so many studies about the benefits of getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night that I won’t bore you with all that info. But I will explain how getting enough sleep can strengthen your immune system (non-boringly).

When you sleep, your body both produces and releases proteins called cytokines, which target infection and inflammation. Cytokines also help with stress, and some of them promote better sleep. When you skimp on sleep, you produce less of these cytokines, so you won’t have them available when you need them.

If you have trouble sleeping in general, try a few things: Put away your smartphone or tablet two hours before shut-eye, since the blue light may keep you awake. Get some blackout curtains for your bedroom. Try to sleep and wake at consistent times. Don’t drink caffeine too close to bedtime. Check out this HealthKick article on many more ways to improve your sleep.

9. Chill out! How stress kills your immune health.

Chronic stress and anxiety can be a significant player in your immune system health. In response to anxiety and stress, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. This anxiety triggers a flood of chemicals and hormones into your system, particularly cortisol, which can suppress your immune system’s effectiveness.

If it’s a one-time stressor, no biggie: Your pulse and breathing rate increase to give your brain more oxygen so you can respond fast, and your immune system may get a temporary boost. Then, when the stress is over, your body goes back to normal functioning. But if you’re always stressed, your body never gets a signal to return to normal. That wreaks havoc on your immune system.

Then there are the other things we do to cope with stress: smoking, eating unhealthy foods, drinking alcohol. These will damage the immune system even more.

So what can you do to reduce stress and strengthen your immune system? Practice mindfulness. Do some yoga. Surround yourself with people you love. Start a gratitude journal.

Read this HealthKick article about stress and things you can do to ease your stress levels: https://www.healthkick.info/damaging-effects-stress/

And check out this article which contains a bunch of useful tips on lessening stress during this pandemic.

Also, if you do what I’ve discussed above—eat well, exercise, hydrate, get regular sleep—these will all reduce stress. So, yay!

Now that you know these nine tips to strengthen your immune system, it’s time to put them into action.

There’s a lot of info here, but it’s not hard to get going on your immunity-boosting ways. Start by drinking more water and eating more veggies and fruits. Get rid of as much sugar from your diet as you can. Replace your processed foods with more healthy ones.

Once you form a daily water habit, you can add on the next, and the next. Before you know it, you’ll feel better than you have in years. You’ll wonder where those aches and pains went (hint: less inflammation). You’ll be sleeping better. You’ll feel calmer for “no apparent reason.” Your mind will be clearer. It’s all because you’ve done the work to boost your immune system.

Here’s to your health! You’re worth it!

How to Stay Sane While Social Distancing

March 25, 2020 By Anne Hill 1 Comment

Are you suffering from SDID (Social Distancing Insanity Disorder)? (Yes, this is a made-up term. But it fits, right?)

Symptoms include:

A sudden uncontrollable desire to jump in your car and drive somewhere—ANYWHERE.
Waking up from a nightmare about screaming banshees, only to realize it’s your kids.
Endless scrolling through Yahoo News or cat videos.
Waiting to shower until later today—okay, tomorrow.
Not having the slightest idea what day it is.

I think most of us are suffering from SDID right now, in one form or another. It’s pretty tough to stay sane while social distancing. If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, join the club—there’s a lot to be anxious about!

Here’s a critical point, though: You’re not alone. We’re all social distancing. Most of us have never experienced this type of situation—unless you were around for the 1918 pandemic. If so, KUDOS! You’re looking good at 102!

Yes, it’s a stressful time right now, to say the least. That’s why it’s so essential to develop healthy habits during these weeks of social distancing—and that definitely includes your mental health.

Here are a few ways you can begin to regain some much-needed sanity in a world that’s clearly not sane at the moment.

Start “social distancing” from the news

Just because we’re in an age of 24-hour news coverage, doesn’t mean that you have to ingest it for 24 hours!

I can tell you about all the studies that have shown what a constant stream of negative news does to your mental state, but I’m sure you already know it. It’s a monster that feasts on your anxiety. The more you watch the news, the more that monster grows in your brain, and the hungrier it gets. Stop feeding it!

You don’t have to bury your head in the sand. (A total myth, by the way. Ostriches don’t do this, and never have.) Go ahead and get a daily dose of news, to keep yourself informed, if that’s what you need to do. Just do it for a short time each day, then move on to other things.

In case you haven’t noticed (just kidding, I know you have), news tends to repeat itself on a constant loop. After about 15 minutes, you’ve heard all the latest horrors. I usually look at the news in the morning and give myself a half-hour time limit. That’s enough for one day, believe me.

At first, it may be tough to be so “disconnected” from what’s going on minute by minute in this crisis. But honestly, don’t you think that if something significant were to happen, you’d hear about it?

Of course, it’s vital to stay informed, but “being informed” is a whole different ballgame than being terrorized by news reports. Here are some websites I recommend, where you can get unvarnished information:

CDC. The Centers for Disease Control have excellent data on the virus and how to protect yourself and others.
WHO. The World Health Organization has a separate website set up just to answer your questions about the Coronavirus. It’s exceptionally informative.
SAMSHA. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has also set up a website filled with helpful resources and information.

All these sources are there whenever you want to look at them, and they’re much less likely to have you screaming at the screen or drinking an entire bottle of wine in one sitting.

Start each day with gratitude

That’s right, gratitude. Every day, right after I wake up, I think of the things I’m grateful for. I’ve been doing this for years, and I know that it’s helped me have a happier life. I’ve also started a practice of getting my husband to tell me what he’s grateful for each morning. He’s a tough nut to crack, I’ll tell ya, but I’m working him over.

Don’t believe it works? Oh, ye of little gratitude. Numerous studies have been done on the effect of gratitude on the brain. UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, for example, has done studies on how regularly expressing gratitude literally changes the molecular structure of the brain. Gratitude, per their studies, also keeps your gray matter functioning well, and makes you happier and healthier. (Full disclosure: UCLA is my alma mater, but I would have shared this information regardless.)

You can start the practice of daily gratitude the way I did, by thinking of things you’re grateful for each day. Here are a few other ways as well:

Keep a gratitude journal. A lot of people do this, and it helps them to write down what makes them grateful. I’m writing down what’s keeping me sane while I’m social distancing, and it’s helping.
Tell someone else something you appreciate about them. It will make both of you feel good.
Look at yourself in the mirror—come on, you can do this!—and think of something you like about yourself. You can even talk to yourself in the mirror, but only if you say NICE things.
When you hear some bad news, don’t get stuck in it. Instead, try to think about something good that happened recently. Force yourself. It helps a lot.

Practice mindfulness

A close cousin to gratitude is mindfulness. I read an excellent definition for mindfulness recently, on the appropriately-titled website, Mindful.org:

“Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”

One of the easiest and best ways to become more mindful in this clearly overwhelming environment is to meditate, even if it’s only for a few minutes a day. This can go a LONG WAY to help you stay sane while social distancing.

By meditation, I don’t mean sitting on a mountaintop in the lotus position chanting—go for it if you want, but I can’t get my legs to move that way anymore. No, you can meditate anywhere. Just pick a quiet space, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and…

Well, there’s more to it than that, but you get the picture.

There is a LOT of information online about how to meditate. The Mayo Clinic has some great info that can help you get started. And there are a lot of apps that make meditating easy. Headspace, Calm, and 10% Happier are some of my faves.

Here are just a few of the proven benefits of meditation:

Stress reduction
Less anxiety
More self-awareness
Better sleep
Pain relief
Lowered blood pressure

If this all sounds too woo-woo for you, I understand. But if you’re up for it, give it a try. You might just be amazed at how much better you feel.

Stay connected through technology

Can you imagine dealing with all this social isolation in a world without the internet? I certainly can’t. (Again, I’m not talking about you 102-year-olds out there, so chill out, okay?)

Something I noticed recently is that before this pandemic, people used their devices to distance themselves (you know, not making eye contact in the coffee shop, walking into lampposts because they’re looking at their phones, that sort of thing). Now, people are using their devices to stay connected. It’s kind of beautiful in that respect.

While you’re stuck in your home, take some time to reach out to others who may be feeling the same way you are. You’re not the only one trying to stay sane! Call an elderly relative who may be all alone. FaceTime with your kids or grandkids. Have a virtual happy hour with some friends. Host a virtual Sunday dinner with members of your extended family. Attend a virtual church service. The possibilities are endless, and each one will make you feel less alone and more connected.

Connect with the people in the other room

I don’t know about you, but hanging out with my husband every single day, all day, can be exhausting. We’re both working from home, which we’re truly grateful for, but our offices are right down the hall from each other. I love him and all, but there’s no downtime! This is NOT how to stay sane while social distancing. But we’re working on it.

That being said, I can’t imagine what it would be like to have a house full of kids on top of all that. If that’s your situation, I salute your bravery.

It can be tempting to all go to your separate rooms and do your own thing. In fact, it’s probably a wise choice sometimes. But not all the time.

This is a rare opportunity for families to spend precious time together. Why not come up with a few fun ideas while you’re all in one location? Pull those old board games out of the closet. (No, I don’t think you’ll resemble the family in the picture. It’s a stock photo, after all. Nobody can be expected to be THAT happy right now!)

Try an art project as a family. Do an online tutorial together—there are a lot of free ones at the moment. Maybe even have a family movie night right in your living room, popcorn and all.

Give it a try. It just might result in an unexpected consequence from this whole sequestering thing: A happier, more connected family unit. Imagine!

We hope this helps you stay sane while social distancing

Have these tips been helpful for you? If so, let me know in the comments. And share what you’re doing right now to take better care of yourself, both physically and mentally.

5 Tips for Healthy Eating While Social Distancing

March 22, 2020 By Anne Hill Leave a Comment

Healthy eating while stuck at home – yeah, right!

If you’re living on planet Earth right now, you’re most likely confined to your home for the foreseeable future. And unless “home” is a Barbra Streisand-esque compound with its very own shopping mall, you’re probably not enjoying it too much. When you’re not feeling anxious about the current situation, you may be going stir-crazy because—well, you’re stuck at home. ALL DAY. EVERY DAY.

This is the perfect opportunity for those evil twins to call out to you. “Come play with us,” they say. “Forever, and ever, and ever.” Oh, they’ll taunt you. But remember, they’re not real.

Well, they are, but they have no hold over you. They’re just a fridge and a pantry, after all.

What did you think I was talking about? These two?

Then again, maybe the feelings are similar.

We’re not stuck in the house from The Shining, true. But we ARE living in a horror story at the moment, and it’s everything we can do to keep our sanity, much less worry about what we’re eating.

That being said, it’s more important than ever to stay healthy and keep your immune system strong.

And the most effective way to do that is with healthy food and hydration.

Here are five tips to help you stay healthy through this enforced isolation:

ONE: Stock your home with healthy foods.

I know, that’s not as easy as it sounds. I mean, we have some sort of toilet paper-ageddon going on in most grocery stores, and the food shelves are pretty bare. But there are solutions.

Try out a delivery service like Instacart, for example. It may take some time to get the items to you, but they will arrive—and you didn’t have to go to a grocery store and risk being around potentially-infected people.

Plus, the FDA and the CDC have made it clear that there is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging.

But, you say, what about the delivery person? Boy, you DO worry, don’t you? Simple fix: Once you take the packages in the house and put them away, wash your hands immediately. Wash any fruits and vegetables to make extra-sure they’re safe. And if you’re REALLY worried about it, clean the counter with a disinfectant wipe.

OK, now that I’ve calmed your fears for the time being, here are a few suggestions for healthy foods to stock in your home:

Lean meats, poultry, and fish
Nuts, seeds, and beans
Fruits and veggies
Whole-grain bread
Other whole grains such as quinoa
Healthy oils, such as olive or avocado oil
NOT sugary snacks and sodas, processed foods and junk

Of course, organic meats and produce are ideal, but we’re all on a budget right now, and they seem to be way less available anyway. So here’s a bonus tip: Check out this page for info on eating healthy on a budget.

TWO: Order curbside takeout or delivery from local restaurants and support your community.

Restaurants have it really hard at the moment since they can’t offer regular meal service. A great way to support them is to order curbside takeout.

Many local restaurants offer that option right now, so it’s a double-whammy of goodness: You’re helping them, and you don’t have to cook!

One healthy eating while social distancing tip is to check the menu beforehand, which will most likely be online. Look for items that are a healthier choice, such as grilled chicken or fish, and vegetable sides.

Salads are also a healthy option—as long as they’re not piled high with fried chicken or sugar-filled dressings! I know, I’m such a Debbie Downer.

Ordering from your local restaurants is not just a good idea, it’s pretty dang vital to keep them afloat during these hard times. Helping them out will feed both your body and your soul.

THREE: Set a schedule.

Really? Isn’t the best part about being at home that you don’t have to set a schedule?

Not when it comes to eating. Why would you want to make it easier for those twins of destruction to lure you with their siren song? (Yes, I’m still talking about the fridge and the pantry.)

You don’t have to be militant about it, but having a daily structure can really help healthy eating while social distancing.

Set breakfast at a certain time, lunch at a certain time, maybe a little afternoon snack, then dinner at a certain time.

If you’re eating healthily, it’s unlikely that you’ll get hungry in between those times. Again, a regular schedule of eating gives your body the nutrition it needs to keep going throughout the day.

If you DO get hungry, however, figure out if you’re really hungry or if you just need to drink more water. I’ll discuss hydration in a minute because it deserves its own section (and then some!).

Another idea is to plan your snacks ahead of time, so you’re not heading into snack time without any idea of what you’ll eat. That’s a recipe for a Cheeto-filled disaster.

FOUR: Stay hydrated, my friends.

If the Most Interesting Man in the World were also the SMARTEST man in the world, he’d tell you to drink water instead of Dos Equis.

Fun fact: Adult humans are 60 percent water, and our blood is 90 percent water.

Here are just a few benefits of water:

It lubricates your joints.
It boosts skin health and beauty. Fewer wrinkles!
It cushions your brain and spinal cord (yikes!).
It regulates your body temperature.
Your digestive system depends on it.
It helps your kidneys flush toxins more efficiently.

If you do nothing else in your socially-isolated state, increase your water intake. You’ll thank me later.

FIVE: Be kind to yourself after “Healthy Eating while Social Distancing” violations

OK, I’ve shared all these healthy eating tips. But what about times when you want some comfort food?

Listen, we all need a bit of comforting these days. If you want to have a bowl of mac and cheese, go for it.

Healthy eating is all about balance. Of course, you’re going to want to eat some of your favorite foods. Just don’t eat them all the time.

And here’s the most important part: Don’t beat yourself up afterward.

Any shame you feel after eating a big bowl of pasta or a pint of ice cream is totally unnecessary. It’ll just send you down a shame spiral, and pretty soon you’ll be living in the land of “Who cares? We’re all gonna die someday anyway.”

Save yourself the trouble and just be kind to yourself. We’re all doing the best we can right now, and a little kindness can go a long way.

BONUS: More Advice and Tips for Healthy Eating while Stuck at Home

Here are some bonus tips you may find helpful, starting with this Time Magazine article.

And here’s a great interview with dietitian Samantha Heller on “CBS This Morning”:

I hope we’ve made Healthy Eating While Social Distancing a bit easier for you.

There you have it: Five tips for healthy eating while social distancing. Try them out and let me know in the comments how they work for you. Or maybe you have another great idea to share—I’d love to hear it!

Max Pulse for Arterial Health Testing

August 20, 2018 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

It’s called the Max Pulse. You may or may not have heard of it. It’s a simple screening device that can help to catch the precursors to the #1 cause of death in the U.S. – Heart Disease.

I mean, this test takes a few minutes. You just have to sit quietly with a clip on your index finger and it’s done. The test can tell you if you have plaque build up in your arteries (also called atherosclerosis).

Ah, HELLO, this is a no-brainer and absolutely EVERYONE should be getting this Max Pulse test once or twice a year. Come on!

The problem with Heart Disease, heart attacks and strokes is that 50% or more of those who have these maladies did not have symptoms until some form of cardiovascular event occurred! In other words, high blood pressure or high cholesterol is not always a symptom. More than half of the people who have heart attacks or strokes had NO symptoms before these hit.

So here we have a simple screening that can be done that can tell you if you have plaque build up or hardening of the arteries, but very few doctors are doing it. It is considered experimental or questionable, despite the fact that there are significant bonafide medical research studies that have been done. In fact, 10 years ago the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) added the use of such testing as “an early index of large artery stiffening” into their Guideline for the Management of Arterial Hypertension.

Here’s an excerpt from this Guideline about this:

“Over the past 10 years, a large body of evidence has been collected on large artery stiffening and the wave reflection phenomenon, which have been identified as being the most important pathophysiological determinants of isolated systolic hypertension and pulse pressure increases. Measuring arterial stiffness via changes in vessel diameter in relation to blood pressure changes is complex and not suitable for standard clinical use. On the other hand, measurement of pulse wave velocity provides a comprehensive non-invasive assessment of arterial stiffness, which is simple and accurate enough to be considered as a diagnostic procedure. This is because this measure has been shown to have an independent predictive value for all cause mortality and cardiovascular morbidity, coronary events and strokes in patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension.”

The main devices used for this testing are:

the Digital Pulsewave Analyzer (DPA) made by Meridian Corp. https://digitalpulseanalyzer.com/
the Max Pulse device, made by Medicore Medical. https://longlifecardio.com/

These Max Pulse and DPA devices use pulse wave technology to analyze how elastic or hardened the arteries are. Of course, anyone who is found to have serious plaque build up in their arteries, should be sent for more in depth testing and should be worked with to make important lifestyle changes to halt the decline and hopefully reverse the condition. The earlier it is caught, the easier it is to address.

The next time you go to your doctor’s office you should ask them for this test. If they don’t have it available, you should tell them to get one of these devices (links are above) and start testing all of their patients as part of taking your vitals. [I’d say that a simple test to help prevent the #1 cause of death would be pretty vital!]

Let’s get some grassroots demand going on for technology that can help us save lives!

Where do you stand on your 2018 new year resolutions?

July 3, 2018 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

As we rolled into 2018, you may have decided on a few new year resolutions for yourself. Now that we are half way through the year, maybe some of those ambitious ideas of weight loss, exercise, putting a halt to unwanted habits and other hopeful ideas are lacking a bit in stick-to-it-iveness.

It’s understandable and it happens all too often to the best of us. But don’t be discouraged! There’s a great quote that applies well here. “Although no one can go back and make a new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending“.

Here’s an approach you may want to consider. How about a handful of resolutions that will help you accomplish healthier living (and better productivity as a result) in 2018, but yet are quite EASY to do? Ones that just don’t require that much effort and CAN be accomplished.

Achievable resolutions will not only aid you in a better life, but they can help restore faith and determination in accomplishing or sticking to your decisions and goals in general.

Here are some suggestions for easily attainable resolutions for healthier living. Healthier living can also cause positive effects on your productivity, your mood, your longevity and can help those around you.

1) Utilize the research and information provided by the Environmental Working Group at www.EWG.org. On their website they provide information about toxic chemicals in cosmetics, sunscreens, skin and hair care products, cleaning products and in foods and produce. They also have 2 great apps (EWG’s Healthy Living and EWG’s Food Scores), which you can download onto your phone. Then, when you are shopping, you can use their barcode scan system to check for dangerous toxins in products before you buy. They will also suggest healthier versions of these products that you can easily find. Little by little you can be upgrading what you put into your body through your skin or your mouth to healthier versions. Taking in less pesticides and dangerous chemicals into your body can have profound effects over years. By avoiding known carcinogens [meaning things that can cause cancer], maybe you can avoid cancer later in life. By avoiding endocrine disruptors, maybe you won’t have failing hormone functions.

2) Wear a FitBit or Smart Watch with a fitness application. There are plenty available: Google Fit, Apple Watch Activity, Sony Lifelog, Endomondo, Fitstar and MapMyFitness are some of many that are available. Even if you don’t exercise at all, it will encourage you to stand when you have been sitting dormant too long. It will provide some encouragement to be more active, even if minor.

3) Find a form of exercise that you like which is readily available or can be made so. Lack of exercise over time can have many repercussions on your health. If you are too busy, too tired or just lack the ambition or drive to exercise, there are still options. Most important is that you choose something that you like and which is super convenient. Swimming, punching bag, dancing, yoga or anything that gets you more active physically – if you like it and it is easy to do, then that’s it.

At an irreducible minimum you could get one of those body vibration devices that you simply stand on. It tricks the body into thinking you’re falling. This, in turn, activates the reflexes that result in extremely rapid muscle contractions. It works your muscles and has been found to increase muscle tone and circulation, as well as bone density. You can do this while you are watching the news or your favorite TV show and it does not require exerting a lot of energy. It’s not the most ideal exercise, but it IS exercise, and if nothing else it is something almost anyone can do.

4) Replace some or all sodas with sparkling mineral water and add a hint of lemon, orange, grapefruit or lime (by adding a small amount of juice or a few drops of essential oil). Make sure it’s not the sparkling water drinks with added sugar. Sparkling mineral water is better (as opposed to just sparkling water) as you are getting some minerals in addition to the benefit of drinking more water and less soda. And don’t be fooled by fruit juices that are often touted as a healthy option to soda, as they usually have just as much sugar.

5) Cut back on sugar intake by replacing some or all with real stevia. It’s a naturally sweet herb that doesn’t increase blood sugar. The average American consumes nearly 20 teaspoons of sugar per day or 66 pounds of sugar per year, leading to epidemics in obesity, diabetes and other serious physical conditions. I recommend SweetLeaf brand (it comes in packets), which is actual stevia as opposed to many other brands that are mostly sugar alcohol with a little stevia. If you take sugar in your coffee or drink sweet tea, you can use some stevia instead. Opt for cereals, deli meats, dressings, crackers and other foods with lower sugar wherever possible.

These are just some suggestions of healthier habits that are relatively easy to do, but which can improve long term quality of life. A few such resolves can have a big impact.

Spring, Mosquitos, Zika and Natural Mosquito Repellent

May 5, 2016 By Debbie Baumgarten 1 Comment

Spring is here! And while spring represents great weather, new buds and blossoms, grilling, cookouts and many other cheery notes, it also usually means more mosquitos around and about.

With the recent news and a few horror stories about the Zika Virus, it might be a little scary to think about more mosquitos in your environment and any likelihood of this new virus spreading. So here are a few things you should know about Zika.

5 facts about the Zika Virus:

How it spreads: It is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. If a man is infected, they can possibly infect someone else through sexual transmission. If someone is infected and is then bitten by an uninfected mosquito during the incubation period, that mosquito can then infect others. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the species that carries Zika.

Symptoms: The common symptoms of the virus are fever, joint pain, rash, red eyes, muscle pain and headache. If you have these symptoms (and particularly if you have been bitten by a mosquito in the last couple of weeks), you should see a doctor. Those infected with the Zika Virus often don’t know they have it because they attribute their symptoms to something else.

What to do if you have it: Rest and drink lots of fluids. You should not take aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen if you have or think you might have the virus. You can take Tylenol.

Effects of the virus: While the Zika Virus is particularly dangerous for women who are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant, we still do not know of any other long term effects that the virus may have.

How to reduce risk: The best thing you can do is to prevent getting bitten by mosquitos. Cover as much of your body with clothes as you can when you are outdoors. Use mosquito repellent on areas of your body that are exposed. (see below for more info on safe repellents).

In addition to Zika concerns, there is also the West Nile Virus. Like Zika, it is spread through mosquito bites and has no known cure. West Nile infections occur primarily in the summer and have been reported in almost every state.

So, either way, precautions against mosquitos and other insect bites are still a very good idea.

Insect Repellents and Dangerous Chemicals

Nearly all of the commercial insect repellents on the market are loaded with dangerous chemicals that make their way into your bloodstream through your skin. To read more about this, see my article: https://www.healthkick.info/living-nontoxic-life/non-toxic-insect-repellent/

All Natural Mosquito Repellent

To make your own truly heavy duty insect repellent, you can follow this recipe here: https://www.healthkick.info/living-nontoxic-life/non-toxic-insect-repellent/

This article was published in the New York Daily News: https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/don-stung-zika-virus-article-1.2584567

Probiotics and Your Immune System

April 16, 2016 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

Having a very good balance of good bacteria throughout your digestive system is one of the best ways to strengthen your immune system. Let me tell you about the best form of probiotics you can get.

Many years ago I used to be overly enthusiastic about the use of antibiotics. The slightest hint of something and I was convincing my doctor to give me a new prescription. I thought I could never miss a day of work or go down for any reason and antibiotics was my go-to treatment. As a result, I effectively killed a lot of the good bacteria that would have strengthened my immune system and helped to keep me healthy.

After researching this extensively, I worked hard to locate and buy some of the highest quality probiotics, which I took with some success. However I have discovered an even better means of creating a healthy gut and stronger immune system.

Probiotics in capsule or any kind of oral form usually provide anywhere from one to maybe as high as ten different strains of good bacteria. Some of the best brands offer as much as 50 billion active cultures. But if you make your own kefir, you can get active cultures in the trillions with over 30 different strains. It’s incredible. And it is super easy to make.

And of all of the various supplements and things I have tried to bolster my immune system, this one thing has had the most beneficial effect and has done more for my health than anything else I have done.

You’ll need raw milk (goat’s or cow’s milk) and kefir grains to start. If you don’t have access to raw milk, you can use regular milk, but try to get milk that is minimally pasteurized if you can. The grains are re-used, so you only need to get these once. I take this every day and it has made a HUGE difference. I highly, highly recommend it to anyone.

Here are a couple of videos that I watched to learn how to do it. It is really easy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8VBshh1uE0

Pesticides: Coffee, Tea and Wine

January 12, 2016 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

I have worked to gradually improve the foods I eat, avoiding BPA, MSG, food additives, and overall eating more organic and healthy foods. But I found that my coffee, tea and wine were riddled with pesticides. I never even thought about this until I read some articles by the “Food Babe” (see her Facebook Page with more than a million followers).

Most wines not only use a healthy amount of pesticides in growing the grapes, but there are also other additives such as sulfates that I found were adversely affecting my sleep and even causing headaches.

Wow! I had no idea. Much to my surprise however, there are many options for organic coffees, wine and teas. Most grocery stores offer organic coffee options, including in K-cups. I have found many nice selections of wine at Whole Foods and some at Costco for very reasonable prices, some were not any more expensive than the non-organic wins I was buying. Amazon also offers many options of organic coffee, teas and wine and they are delivered right to your doorstep. Amazon even has its own wine store and you can select organic to see all organic options. I much prefer the taste of these organic options of coffee, tea and wine.

I purchased a french press so I could purchase organic loose leaf tea. It’s so easy to use and clean up afterwards that I found it just as easy as tea bags, but this opened my options to many more exotic teas available.

Between coffee, tea and wine, I was consuming a considerable amount of pesticides and other chemicals that were very unhealthy. Particularly if you consider daily consumption over a long period of years – this adds up. It’s easy to make the switch to much healthier alternatives. I’ve included some links and resources to help you too. You can do it. Better taste experience, no added expense and much healthier living!

Easy ways to squeeze in more raw veggies and fruits

November 22, 2015 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

Pretty much any diet will tell you that you can and should eat veggies including raw veggies. I think you would be hard-pressed to find a good diet that didn’t include various forms of veggies. Paleo, Atkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach, Mediterranean, diets for diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and many other diets have vegetables as part of what you should eat to get healthier or lose weight.

Raw vegetables are better than cooked as valuable nutrients haven’t been cooked out of them and they are high in good fiber.

I didn’t use to be a big raw veggies person and found it hard to even get myself to eat a salad. I have read many times that you should shoot for eating raw veggies or raw fruit at least 5 times a day. I thought 5 times a day was a steep hill to climb as I rarely use to even eat raw veggies once a day. But over time I came up with ideas on how to work these in comfortably.

*** Pre-make easy snacks like baby carrots, celery with a little peanut butter or cream cheese in the center, apple slices, cucumber sticks, etc. Put them in baggies and take them with you to work.

*** Make a big batch of coleslaw that will last a week and keep it in the fridge. It’s super easy to make if you have a food processor using cabbage and carrots. The dressing is just mayo, lemon juice, a little vinegar, a few spices and a sweetener (I use stevia). If you use very fresh, crisp cabbage, it lasts a week and is great with lunches or even as a snack.

*** Make it a routine to always start dinner with a salad, even if it’s a small one. It’s a great weight loss tip as it is proven to result in a lower calorie intake at dinner if you start with a salad as the fiber in the veggies helps you to feel full earlier. The only thing to watch is what dressing you use and how much. Loading a lot of high sugar and/or high fat dressing on will crank up the calorie count and (in the case of a sugary dressing) can increase your appetite. Find a healthy dressing you like and use it somewhat sparingly.

*** Mix berries (some of the lowest sugar/high fiber fruits) into lowfat or nonfat plain yogurt. I usually by a tub of organic lowfat yogurt, mix in a little stevia and vanilla extract and some organic berries and it’s almost like dessert it is so good.

*** Mix berries into oatmeal or granola.

Let me know if you have any other good ones to add!

Established Fibromyalgia Treatments Focus On Masking Symptoms Rather Than Healing

August 11, 2015 By Debbie Baumgarten Leave a Comment

If you or someone you know is diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, their doctor will likely prescribe one or more of the established drugs for the treatment of Fibromyalgia. Lyrica®, Cymbalta® and Savella are some of the most common ones.

Lyrica® and Cymbalta® have been proven to decrease pain and some of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. This type of treatment, to ease the pain, may certainly be needed. However, before you consider one or more of these medications as your sole treatment plan, there is more you really should know about it.

FIRST: The Side Effects

While these medications do relieve some of the symptoms, it does come at a cost in other side effects. These side effects vary from person to person, but pretty much everyone has some.

There is a much longer list of all side effects, including those that are “rare”, “very rare” or “occasional”. But just those listed as the “more common” side-effects include: “accidental injury, bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet, blurred vision, burning, tingling, numbness or pain in the hands, arms, feet, or legs, change in walking and balance, clumsiness, confusion, delusions, dementia, difficulty having a bowel movement, difficulty with speaking, double vision, dry mouth, fever, headache, hoarseness, increased appetite, lack of coordination, loss of memory, lower back or side pain, painful or difficult urination, problems with memory, rapid weight gain, seeing double, sensation of pins and needles, shakiness and unsteady walk, sleepiness or unusual drowsiness, stabbing pain, swelling, tingling of the hands or feet, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination, unusual weight gain”.

On top of that fairly hefty list of side effects, a study was recently published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, which stated that the majority of drug trials, specifically for the treatment of Fibromyalgia, were funded by those who stood to benefit financially from their sales. This means that these drugs aren’t being tested by an independent, unbiased, 3rd party that would provide honest test results. Instead, they are being tested by those with conflicts of interest who stand to profit financially. So the safety of these drugs may very well be compromised.

SECOND: Length Of Time You’ll Take These Medications

Short answer: For the rest of your life, with likely increasing dosages as efficacy wanes over time, common for many drugs.

Several years ago a study conducted by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research found that there was a definite need to limit the use of prescription medications for treating Fibromyalgia and that these medications, as a sole form of “treatment”, were not making people well.

In this study, thirty-nine patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) were interviewed about their symptoms at the very beginning of the study. Twenty-nine of those same patients were interviewed again 10 years later. Of these 29 (median age of 55 at second interview), all had persistence of the same FMS symptoms. The percentages of patients with pain or stiffness, sleep difficulty and/or moderate to severe fatigue were pretty much the same as on the initial testing 10 years prior. And 79% of these patients were still taking medications to control their symptoms 10 years later. You can read more about this study here: https://thefibrodoctor.com/traditional-medicine-offers-little-for-fibromyalgia/

However we can conclude that these drugs don’t fix anything, they only mask. And masking the symptoms may be needed for a while, but masking as the only treatment simply means that you are sentenced to a lifetime of pain and trauma with the added side effects of long-term use of these drugs.

THIRD: How Many People Does This Affect?

Current estimates of those suffering from Fibromyalgia range from over 5 million to upwards of 15 million people in the U.S. alone.

Fibromyalgia is big business with revenue from Fibromyalgia drugs now ranking in the billions.

According to a new market research report released by Global Data, “Driven by sales of Lyrica, Cymbalta/Xeristar and Savella, the Fibromyalgia drug market will experience 4.2 percent annual growth through 2018.” Currently a 1.4 billion dollar per year market, it is estimated to increase to 1.8 billion dollars by 2018.

That’s a LOT of people who are suffering that are following a “treatment” that is riddled with serious side effects and which will have to be taken for their entire lifetime in ever increasing quantities.

FOURTH: Is It True That Fibromyalgia Comes From Overactive Nerves?

The ads for Lyrica® now say, “Fibromyalgia is thought to be the result of overactive nerves.”

First of all, just look at how this is carefully worded – “thought to be the result of”. Well, “thought to be” means exactly what it says – thought, not fact, not scientifically proven. It actually means that someone or several someones think that this is so.

It also begs the question what causes these “overactive nerves”? No one knows that either.

The truth is that Fibromyalgia is still referred to as a syndrome because there is no known cause and this is still the case. (An illness is referred to as a syndrome [rather than a disease] if there is no known cause).

FIFTH: What About Further Research To Find A Cure?

Within a few years cheaper generic versions of Lyrica and Cymbalta will become available. So the current focus of research is to introduce more “new and improved” drugs. As stated in this same market report, “These new products will help to drive market growth and offset some of the patent expiries of the leading brands during the forecast period.”

But what about investing some of those profits into real research to discover what is actually causing these illnesses and syndromes? And how about a cure rather than drugs that solely mask the symptoms?

If even a fraction of the marketing budgets for these drugs was diverted to research into the cause and cure for this debilitating syndrome, we might make some progress in actually making people well again.

But then again, if people got well, the market for the drugs might decrease rather than rank in the billions. So instead, the research work that is done is directed at formulating more cocktails of pain meds with antidepressants and other “goodies” so that those suffering from Fibromyalgia have to keep buying their temporary fix in ever increasing quantities.

TO SUM THINGS UP:

There are millions of people in the U.S. alone suffering from Fibromyalgia (est. between 5 and 15 million).
These sufferers are currently paying 1.4 billion dollars a year for drugs to “treat” their condition.
These drugs do not treat the underlying causes of FMS but rather simply mask some of the symptoms.
These drugs list a wide array of side effects, some quite serious.
Those who are on such a drug regimen as their only form of treatment will have to be taking these medications for the rest of their lives in increasing dosages.

Because of the pain and other debilitating symptoms of Fibromyalgia, one may need medications to ease the symptoms to be able to function at all. The only warning here is to not be fooled into thinking you are doing something that will cure or even improve your condition. It is a temporary fix and will only last as long as you keep taking these meds.

If while you are taking these medications you also followed other protocols that addressed underlying causes of Fibromyalgia symptoms, you could gradually phase-out the use of the drugs as you healed your body. There are valid Fibromyalgia treatments that will improve your condition.

BEWARE OF OTHER PROMOTED TREATMENTS THAT ARE JUST VERSIONS OF SNAKE OILS

There are also many other promoted “treatments”, alternative or otherwise, that are out there that are not going to cure you either. Many people suffering from Fibromyalgia have tried numerous alternative treatment options – all with great hope – and more often than not these did little or nothing to improve their Fibromyalgia symptoms.

Such treatments include everything from special chiropractic techniques to hyperbaric oxygen therapy and many in between, not to mention all manner of vitamins, herbs, other supplements and combinations of such.

The truth is that people who are suffering are highly likely to dole out money for these supposed “solutions” that are going to “fix the problem”, usually because they are desperate, which makes them more vulnerable to marketing gimmicks and scams.

SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

One of the smartest things you can do is to have an advocate who has battled Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue or other applicable chronic illnesses and has been through it all already. This will likely be someone who has suffered their own pain and fatigue and who has done extensive research and their own trials.

They would have traveled thousands of miles to seek out top-of-the-line clinics to see highly reviewed top doctors and specialists that have worked with these chronic illnesses for years. They would have followed numerous treatment protocols, read pretty much every book on the subject and tried every imaginable supplement as well as many different drugs that were purported to help.

Well, there is a such an advocate who has done exactly that. ME. However, that the vast majority of all of my work accomplished little or no improvement and only served to suck available time and funds dry. But on the positive side, I can now help you to navigate through all of the false promotions, misconceptions, deceptions and lies to find those things that are going to truly aid in your own recovery.

Among the vast amounts of over-hyped treatments and protocols, I have been able to find little gems and pearls of wisdom that actually were incredibly helpful. As a result, I have been able to regain my health and get my life back.

Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia over 15 years ago at the Mayo Clinic, I have been been carefully documenting everything I’ve found to be most helpful in actually recovering my health throughout vast tomes of research and multitudes of trials.

It just shouldn’t have taken such a monumental effort to find a truly workable treatment for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue. Hopefully, if I can make this information known, it won’t be as hard for others. To that end I have put all of this information into a simple and straightforward book that has just now been made available on Amazon as a Kindle e-book.

My New Book!

The book is entitled: Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Illness; Navigating through the confusion and deception, isolating the truly effective, science-based treatments to get the real solutions to recover your health and take back your life!, by Debbie Baumgarten. Here’s a link to it: https://www.amazon.com/Fibromyalgia-Navigating-confusion-science-based-treatments-ebook/dp/B012Z79IIU/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

There is also information available on the Fibro-Free website along with a blog to continue to warn, alert and advise on new information as it becomes available. The website is: www.FibromyalgiaFree.org

For those suffering from Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue or other chronic illnesses, when you’re sick and you feel horrible, your time and money become even more precious to you. You can’t afford to be wasting your valuable resources on those who are simply trying to profit from your pain.

If someone is experiencing unexplained pain and/or fatigue, by all means they should see their doctor. But before spending thousands of dollars on specialists, more and more tests, costly treatment plans and lots of drugs, at least now there is a comprehensive guide available that can be consulted by those who are suffering, to help direct them toward the most beneficial treatments and protocols.

Although well disguised, we have seen far too many circumstances of others capitalizing and profiting on the fact that millions of people with Fibromyalgia, ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other Chronic Illnesses are in pain or experiencing other debilitating symptoms. Often, out of sheer desperation, they will do almost anything to feel well again! They have jobs, families to support and responsibilities and have to do something to keep going.

There are solutions out there. While there might not be one magic pill or a one-shot cure yet, there are a lot of simple and inexpensive things that can help and treatments that can make things better. With enough “things making it better”, these can add up to feeling a LOT better.

This new book, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Illness; Navigating through the confusion and deception, isolating the truly effective, science-based treatments to get the real solutions to recover your health and take back your life, may hold the keys to a treatment plan that doesn’t just mask, but actually heals.